Love Don't Cost a Thing (& Honey) - Page 3

DELTABRAT · #31 11-14-2003, 01:46 PM

My thoughts, exactly...

Also Mekhi was in Soul Food as Lem, Clockers and 8 Mile..he's juicy to me

Quote:

Originally posted by RedefinedDiva
I have to agree that I won't be supporting this movie. It really pisses me off that they blow up all these non-black girls for things that "we" have been doing for years. There are hundreds of black girls on the grind that can dance. Black women have been having big butts and major body for years. J. Lo steps out of the shadows and suddenly, it's popular to be shapely. The list goes on. How are you gonna make a hip-hop style movie with a majority black cast, but the star has to be a white girl? Yet, I will disgress before my blood pressure goes up...

I will save my dollars and support real movies, not cheap ploys to make money off our people. They know that Missy, Mekhi, Lil Romeo, and all "our" other big name stars that they have in the film will draw a crowd, but guess who will make all the cash and get the recognition?

Questions404 · #32 11-14-2003, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DELTABRAT
Also Mekhi was in Soul Food as Lem, Clockers and 8 Mile.

He is forever playing the thug, hoodrat, gangsta, heathen, jailbird role . . . and now he is the rapper/dancer/video guy in love with the ballerina-gone-video-shake-dancer girl . . . I vote no to this one.

CrimsonTide4 · #33 11-17-2003, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by abaici
LOL. Sistagreek, I use that saying ALL THE TIME!!!!!! Borrowed it from Adele Givens. I agree, his shirt is definately dirty!!!

That's where I get it from as well. LOL

CountryGurl · #34 12-05-2003, 05:25 PM

Friday, Dec 5, 2003, 11:32 am EST

"Honey" Reviewed
NY Post

-----------------------------

HONEY

The hip-hop "Glitter."

Rated PG-13 (language). Running time: 96 minutes. At the Chelsea, the Kips Bay, the Union Square, others.

THERE is nothing mean-spirited about "Honey," a star vehicle for Jessica Alba that draws heavily on "Flashdance," "Fame" and those trend-exploiting dance movies of the mid-`80s.

And for fans of the toned female midriff, it may feature more undulating tummies than any film ever made, outside of training films for belly dancers.

Indeed, it sometimes seems as if the filmmakers, led by director Bille Woodruff, visualized Alba`s own peculiarly long torso (which looks like it has been twisted into a strangely snaky shape by some radical new Hollywood workout) as the centerpiece of the movie, and that storyline, character, etc., were mere afterthoughts.

Because "Honey" lacks even a trace of imagination.

Its by-the-numbers plot is depressingly familiar, and each line of dialogue is so predictable that the script (credited to Alonzo Brown and Kim Watson) could have been generated by a computer.

And its pretty young star - though perfectly credible and charming in suburban-set teen flicks like "Idle Hands" and "Never Been Kissed" - is all but impossible to believe as a Harlem "hoodrat."

Her J.Lo-esque character is given a mixed race mother (Lonette Mckee) to explain her pale complexion, but Alba`s occasional attempts at the "yo" accents and dialect used by all her ghetto friends and neighbors are so unconvincing, you wonder why the producers didn`t just cast Sarah Michelle Gellar or Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Honey (Alba) is a young dancer and choreographer whose dream is to become a dancer in music videos, but she`s devoted to teaching dance to underprivileged kids in her neighborhood recreation center.

One night, while dancing in a club with her pal Gina ("Antwone Fisher`s" beautiful Joy Bryant) she`s spotted by video directorMichael (David Moscow).

He instantly recognizes the freshness and supposed street-authenticity of her moves and hires her as a dancer on his new video. Naturally, within minutes of turning up on set she`s been promoted to choreographer.

And as soon the video comes out she becomes a star, choreographing more dances for top hip-hop talent and turning up at tacky glamorous parties on Michael`s arm.

Unfortunately, it means she has no time to hang out with her old friends in the `hood, date nice barber Chaz (Mekhi Phifer) or teach cute kids like Benny (Lil` Romeo) and Raymond (Zachary Isaiah Williams) who then start to fall in with a bad crowd.

It takes a little longer than you might expect for Michael to finally show his sleazy side, make a crude move on her, and then do his best to unmake her new career after she refuses him.

But the third act in which she returns to the `hood, discovers that her old dance studio has closed down, and organizes a benefit to raise money for a new one has a kind of perfunctory, let`s-hurry-this-along quality.

There`s an entertaining cameo by Missy Elliott as herself, but the talents of Phifer, a fine actor in films like "Clockers" and "8 Mile" are simply wasted.

NY Post

Sugar_N_Spice · #35 12-05-2003, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DELTABRAT
This really pisses me off.

I have a sands who is a writer. MTV is currently trying to get her to re-adapt a story she had written that was basically a drumlime-type story but with BGLOs. They said it looked like she was writing a movie for her and her "friends" and that no one would see it except "us."

Mind you some white guy is simultaneously shopping a story about a white guy who is "pledging" a BGLO. Ugh...

They said that the sistah in the move should have some shite friends, maybe a white roommate, perhaps the main character could be white and that the Black female could just be the white girls friend who happens to be in a Black Sorority. Mind you they said they wanted a movie that showcased stepping, and all that Black sororities are about. Her focus was basically community service (of course) and the way that influences the art of stepping and some other artsy-fartsy relation to that and sisterhood and etc., etc. (she's real artsy-fartsy).

My point is, how is the white chick (read: not Black) going to star in a move in which the entire cast is Black?

I am sick and tired of these movie execs acting like our story isn't worthy. Our story wouldn't make money. Our story has to have white folks in it or it's not real. Why can't our story just be our story, without the usual over-romanced storyline (Brown Sugar, etc.) While I am thankful for the positive portrayal that is offeered in these flicks...What's worse is when you have Black writers telling our story then it's not good enough, but when white folks do...or if it has enough white folks in it...then it's okay.

Could there not have beena sistah playing the lead role in this movie?

Sorry, I saw the trailer for the movie last night and almost barfed on myself. Jessica Alba, give me a fu__ing break...she's the friggin' new flavor and "they" are trying to blow her up. Period point blank. Good for her...otherwise, boo...just BOOOOOO!!!!!

Bille Woodruff is Black as is ALonzo Brown...I am unsure about Kim Watson. I bet you a miliion dollars (I am mad I said that) that the lead was a Black girl...I bet!!!

We are in a bind here because based on the ethnicity of the writers and director, and it's his directorial debut, one wants to support, but it's not okay white people...it's not.

Yeah, I agree with you--that really SUCKS!

And as soon as I saw the trailer, I thought :
1.) This movie looks like a bunch of others I've seen before (ie. Save the Last Dance, Flashdance, etc.).
2.) WHY oh WHYYYYY did the lead character have to be Jessica Alba, a Latina? Don't get me wrong, Latinas are my peeps, but this is--other than Jessica--a "Black" movie with an all-Black cast.

So, what was the reason of putting her in the spotlight? I think it was b/c of the fact that someone seems to think that without her (or someone else of another persusuasion other than African American playing the lead role), it would basically be an all-Black (i.e 'just another 'ole Black') movie. Newsflash--that's what it is anyway--the idea is NOT original... I also think that the directors purposefully chose a Latina as the lead to cash in on the whole J.Lo/ Latina Sensation thing...

It's really sad b/c there are many, many legitimate and interesting stories out there to be told, esp. by "our people", movies to be made, that never see the light of day...

AKA_Monet · #36 12-05-2003, 10:59 PM

I thought Jessica Alba is multiracial... Like somebody in her ancestery of was of African descent... 'Cuz girlfriend was in that movie with the little Charlie's Angel producer/actress and if Jessica didn't use a relaxer, her hair would need a pick...

Really, does it matter? The fact is somebody is still trying to ride this hip hop/gangsta rap wave from the 90's... When alot of that stuh is beginning to die out--like it's getting old... Like R. Kelly and Michael Jackson are getting busted again for pedophilin'...

This movie is not even good enuf to view on XETV's Channel 6's Galavision 2 PM Saturday Kabuki Theater in Espanol with Tagalog subtitles...

It is a wonder how it ever got green lighted to get made in Hollywierd...

It ain't even got the flava of "I've got the hook up" with Percy and the gang...

But that's my take...

What did y'all expect?

jll79 · #37 12-06-2003, 12:15 AM

I won't be watching either movie. I prefer the orginals to the remakes.

#1 Leading Lady · #38 12-08-2003, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKA2D '91

Girlllll, I might haveta visit the bootleg man.

Got my copy fresh off the burner

Will give a full review within the next few days. Monday and Tuesday's are blocked with my UPN shows looks like Wednesday is Free for Movie Review night.

Honeykiss1974 · #39 12-09-2003, 04:16 PM

Quote:

I thought Jessica Alba is multiracial

Her mother has a French-Danish heritage, while her father descends from Mexican- Indian and Spanish lineage..
courtesy of IMDB.com

I won't see this mess not only because its the typical "white girls fits in and makes in the black world" storyline, but....well that's probably it. Plus, I am still shell-shocked from trying to watch Mariah Carey's Glitter!

DON'T DO IT!!!

friends don't let friends rent Glitter

```````````````

Now Love Don't Cost A Thing looks like the black version of Can't Buy Me Love, which was a cute movie (or at least I liked it). I may watch this when it comes out on PPV.

candygirl · #40 12-09-2003, 06:47 PM

I actually saw Honey when it came out this past Friday. It wasn't a great movie but it wasn't horrible either. I actually enjoyed it. Maybe because my expectations were low. Nevertheless, it was okay with me.

However, I will not pay money to see Love Don't Cost a Thing, whatever the title of that movie is. I can't stand Nick Cannon. He's on TRL with Ruben right now. I don't know why but Nick Cannon just urks me. He ruined Drumline for me.

AKA2D '91 · #41 12-10-2003, 11:06 AM

Love Don't Cost a Thing begins Friday. I didn't know Troy Beyer is the director.

Also, Soror Vanessa Bell-Calloway is in the film too.

CountryGurl · #42 12-10-2003, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKA2D '91
Love Don't Cost a Thing begins Friday. I didn't know Troy Beyer is the director.

Also, Soror Vanessa Bell-Calloway is in the film too.

I saw the making of it on BET last night. Does Vanessa have on a wig?

Miss. Mocha · #43 12-10-2003, 12:52 PM

I guess I'm in the minority, but I would see HONEY any number of times, before I would pay for anything with that damned Nick Cannon in it. He is so sickening.

I am so tired of the media force-feeding us one celebrity after another, as if we are not smart enough to decide who we want to like. "Like this person, now. Okay, now she's the hot ticket"

It's like, they take one black male or one black female, and shove them down our throats. Read: Halle: then Vivica; then for a while, it was Nia Long; then for a minute it was Saana: most recently it's Gabrielle Union. Every black movie stars this person. I'm sick of it. Now, Nick Cannon is the new "IT" boy?

I don't think so.

He has a CD out? Whose buying it? 13 year olds? Give me a freaking break!

lovelyivy84 · #44 12-10-2003, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Miss. Mocha
I guess I'm in the minority, but I would see HONEY any number of times, before I would pay for anything with that damned Nick Cannon in it. He is so sickening.

I am so tired of the media force-feeding us one celebrity after another, as if we are not smart enough to decide who we want to like. "Like this person, now. Okay, now she's the hot ticket"

It's like, they take one black male or one black female, and shove them down our throats. Read: Halle: then Vivica; then for a while, it was Nia Long; then for a minute it was Saana: most recently it's Gabrielle Union. Every black movie stars this person this person. I'm sick of it. Now, Nick Cannon it the new "IT" boy?

I don't think so.

He has a CD out? Whose buying it? 13 year olds? Give me a freaking break!

The thing is that NO ONE is buying that idiot boy's cd. He is teeeerrible!

Drumline was aight and my cousins liked his Nickelodeon show, but his music is just SO uninspired and cliched as to approach the genuinely nausea-inducing!

abaici · #45 12-10-2003, 02:49 PM

courtesy of DeltaBrat
"My point is, how is the white chick (read: not Black) going to star in a move in which the entire cast is Black?

I am sick and tired of these movie execs acting like our story isn't worthy. Our story wouldn't make money. Our story has to have white folks in it or it's not real. Why can't our story just be our story, without the usual over-romanced storyline (Brown Sugar, etc.) While I am thankful for the positive portrayal that is offeered in these flicks...What's worse is when you have Black writers telling our story then it's not good enough, but when white folks do...or if it has enough white folks in it...then it's okay."

I always think back to Drumline. Why is that lil annoying white boy in the movie? You know, the one who "riverdances" with his drum. What is his purpose? More importantly, why was he on the movie poster and DVD?VHS cover!!!! Straight BS !!